Folding chair

ABSTRACT

A folding seat includes a substantially upside-down “U” shaped fixed structure. Respective articulated support frames support the fixed structure on the ground and are constrained on each of the two vertical sides of the “U”. The chair further includes a seat constrained in an articulated way to one of the two support frames. The chair includes a chair backrest, which is constrained in an articulated way to the seat, and which is so positioned that when the chair is folded, the chair folds against the seat, and when the chair is unfolded, the chair is in a substantially vertical position, or is tilted by a few degrees with respect to the vertical.

The present invention relates to a folding chair, e.g. of the type which is used in home environments or similar.

It is known that in such environments free space is a fundamental problem, which is often dealt with by using pieces of furniture which, when in the non-operating condition, i.e. when not needed, take very little room. To this end, tables are available which can be folded, extended or tilted. Likewise, especially in kitchens, folding chairs are often used together with fixed ones.

The most common types of folding chairs are those having a movable seat, which can be rotated and positioned parallel to the backrest. The legs make the same movement in pairs, in a substantially accordion-like fashion, until a parallelepipedon is obtained which is made up of overlapping front legs, rear legs, seat, backrest and various mechanisms that allow for movement, rotation and articulation of the various parts. The chair thus folded still takes up considerable room, in that its height is given by the vertical dimension of the legs plus the vertical dimension of the backrest. Moreover, the overlapping parts also create a rather thick folded chair.

The Applicant has dealt with the problem of limiting as much as possible the dimensions of a folding chair in the folded condition. Furthermore, the Applicant has also dealt with the problem of simplifying the steps necessary for switching the chair from the unfolded condition to the folded condition and vice versa.

For the purposes of the present invention, an unfolded chair is meant to be a chair in a condition wherein a person can use it to sit down. A folded chair, on the contrary, is meant to be a chair in a condition wherein it takes minimal room.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a folding chair having the features set out in the appended claim 1.

The features and advantages of the chair according to the present invention will become more apparent from the following explanatory and non-limiting description of one embodiment thereof with reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows the folding chair according to the present invention in the folded condition;

FIG. 2 shows the folding chair according to the present invention in the unfolded condition;

FIGS. 3 a-3 e sequentially illustrate the various intermediate steps to be carried out in order to switch the chair from the folded condition to the unfolded condition;

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b show some construction details of the connection between the backrest and the seat;

FIGS. 5 a and 5 b show some construction details of the connection between the seat, the backrest and the load-bearing frame of the chair according to the present invention.

With reference to the above-mentioned drawings, the chair according to the present invention comprises a fixed structure 2, substantially shaped like an upside down “U”, to which respective articulated support frames 31 and 32 supporting the fixed structure on the ground are constrained on each of the two vertical sides 21 and 22 of the “U”. Each frame can rotate relative to its corresponding vertical side, e.g. through suitable pins 23, so that both frames, when the chair is folded, are inside fixed structure 2 and, when the chair is unfolded, are substantially orthogonal to said structure.

A seat 4 is constrained in an articulated way to one of the two support frames 31 or 32; when the chair is unfolded, it is coupled to the other frame 32 or 31, whereas when the chair is folded it is held inside the free space obtained within the frame to which it is constrained.

Preferably, both support frames are made from sections having a rectangular or quadrangular shape, and the seat is constrained to the upper horizontal section of the frame itself.

The seat also comprises at least one sleeve 41 associated with the upper horizontal section of the frame it is integral with. On the opposite side of the seat there is at least one hook 42 that engages the upper horizontal section of the opposite frame, preferably into a suitable housing 33.

The two movable frames substantially act as legs supporting the chair on the ground, and may also be shaped differently with respect to the embodiment shown herein, provided that they are still articulated and foldable by rotating within fixed structure 2. Furthermore, their dimensions must be compatible with the possibility of folding them within the same structure and with the possibility of housing the seat in the central space.

Backrest 5 is constrained to seat 4 in an articulated way; it can rotate relative to said seat about an axis parallel to upper horizontal side 24 of the fixed structure, so as to unfold the chair and be locked, through suitable locking means, in a substantially vertical position or tilted by a few degrees (e.g. up to 10°) relative to the vertical. In the embodiment shown herein, said locking means comprise two vertical bars 51 and 52 between which said backrest is constrained, which rotate relative to the seat through respective pins 53 inserted at the rear corners of the seat itself.

In brief, the folded chair has the backrest folded against the seat; the seat itself is folded and held within the frame it is constrained to, and both frames are folded and held within the fixed structure; all this is done in a manner such that said chair, when folded, becomes a small parallelepipedon, the side surface of which is not bigger than the side surface of the fixed structure, and the thickness of which does not exceed the thickness of the vertical sides of said fixed structure.

When unfolding the chair, one must first unfold the two frames 31 and 32 to form the support legs of the chair as shown in FIG. 3 a. Afterwards, one must rotate seat 4 in the direction indicated by arrows Fl in FIGS. 3 b and 3 c until it reaches its final position shown in FIG. 3 e, with the hooks secured to the frame section.

Finally, one must rotate the backrest upwards in the direction shown by arrow F2 in FIG. 3 e, until the locking means lock it in the final unfolded position shown in FIG. 2.

Advantageously, the locking means have such a shape that allows the backrest to have some elasticity with respect to the final unfolded position.

The various parts of the folding chair may be made of metal or plastic material. Of course, strong and light materials should be preferred over other materials, e.g. heavier ones. In fact, preferable materials include carbon, aluminium and alloys thereof. 

1. A folding chair, comprising: a substantially shaped like an upside down “U” shaped fixed structure, to which respective articulated support frames supporting the fixed structure on the ground are constrained on each of the two vertical sides of the “U”, each frame being configured to rotate relative to a corresponding vertical side, so that both frames, when the chair is folded, are inside the fixed structure and, when the chair is unfolded, are substantially orthogonal to said structure, a seat constrained in an articulated way to one of the two support frames, said seat being coupled to an other of the two support frames when the chair is unfolded, and said seat being held inside a free space obtained within the frame to which the seat is constrained when the chair is folded, and a chair backrest constrained in an articulated way to said seat, and so positioned that when the chair is folded, the chair is folded against the seat within a central space not occupied by the frames, and when the chair is unfolded, the chair is in a substantially vertical position, or is tilted with respect to the vertical, above said horizontal side of the fixed structure, and is held in position by a lock.
 2. A folding seat according to claim 1, wherein said backrest rotates about an axis parallel to a rear horizontal side of the “U”,
 3. A folding seat according to claim 1, wherein said lock comprise two vertical bars between which said backrest is constrained, which rotate relative to the seat through respective pins inserted at rear corners of the seat.
 4. A folding chair according to claim 1, further comprising at least one sleeve associated with an upper horizontal section of the frame integral with the seat, and wherein on an opposite side of the seat at least one hook engages the upper horizontal section of the opposite frame, into a suitable housing. 